Cry For A Shadow
by BungalowBear
Summary: John Lennon recording his song 'Mother,' but it takes place when The Beatles are still together. John recording his song with Paul there to help him when John's emotions overwhelm him.


"Alright, ready John?" Paul asked from the control room, which overlooked the sound booth where John was sitting at a piano.

"Yep." John replied quietly.

"Okay. This is 'Mother,' take one." Paul announced, starting the recording.

John took a deep breath and started playing.

_Mother, you had me_

_But I never had you_

_I wanted you_

_But you didn't want me_

_So_

_I just got to tell you_

_Goodbye,_

_Goodbye_

Paul watched John intently, hearing John's true thoughts and emotions in the lyrics. He soon started the next verse:

_Father, you left me_

_But I never left you_

_I needed you_

_But you didn't need me_

_So_

_I just got to tell you_

_Goodbye,_

_Goodbye_

John's voice cracked slightly on the last word of the verse. Paul felt his heart drop as he kept listening to the story John was telling through his song.

_Children, don't do_

_What I have done_

_I couldn't walk_

_And I tried to run_

_So_

_I just got to tell you_

_Goodbye,_

_Goodbye_

John's intense yet simplistic piano playing added to the emotional lyrics of John's song, and Paul was soon lost in thought. He was John's best friend, he knew John's mistakes, the story of his mother and his father. He knew that these verses were true and showed John's true feelings towards his parents. Paul's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a heart-wrenching verse:

_Mama, don't go_

_Daddy, come home_

Paul kept watching John, forcefully playing the piano and singing the heartbreaking words.

_Mama, don't go_

_Daddy, come home_

The verse repeated again, except the third time John sang it, he began to scream the last words of each line, extending them and adding such raw emotion to the song that Paul felt tears well up in his eyes.

_Mama, don't go_

_Daddy, come home_

By the fourth and fifth verse, John was screaming the lines while slamming the chords on the piano. Paul related greatly to John's lyrics about his mother, and the emotion that was attatched to them. He lost his mother, as well. When he was 14. John lost Julia when he was 17. That was an experience they both shared and bonded over. They both knew the emotional toll of losing a family member, let alone their mothers.

_Mama, don't go_

_Daddy, come home_

By now, John was screaming the words with even more emotion, and Paul felt his tears run down his cheeks. Over and over, John screamed the two lines that caused Paul to be overcome with emotion, hating to see his best friend having to relive the crippling emotions of losing both of his parents.

_Mama, don't go_

_Daddy, come home_

John let out the verse one last time in a primal scream that shredded his voice. The song suddenly ended, and John played the final chord of the song, taking shaky breaths. Paul snapped back to reality and stopped the recording. "A-Amazing, John. That was a great take." He said, trying to sound casual as he wiped his eyes.

John didn't respond.

"John?" Paul asked. "John, are you alright?"

No answer.

Paul left the control room and went down the steps to the sound booth. He slowly opened the door and looked at John, who was sitting and staring down at the piano, his breaths not shaking anymore. Maybe that was a good sign? Paul slowly walked up to John. "Mate, are you okay?" He asked carefully.

John suddenly turned around to look up at Paul, and Paul was shocked to see tears streaming down John's cheeks. Before Paul could say anything, John quickly stood up and hugged Paul, trying to fight the sobs that were causing his body to tremble.

Paul was quick to react, and he held onto John, resting his hand on the back of John's head. "It's okay, Johnny.." He whispered soothingly. "I got you, it's alright.."

John let out a loud sob and buried his head into Paul's shoulder. "Shhh.. I got you, Johnny, I got you.." Paul felt his own tears fall down his cheeks again. "You're okay..." John continued to sob into Paul's shoulder, his hands gripping the back of Paul's shirt tightly. Paul soothingly rubbed John's back and held him close.

"You're okay, Johnny..."


End file.
